Peter Obi Slams JAMB Over Blacklisting of CBT Centres, Calls for Compassion

Labour Party presidential candidate and former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, has criticised the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for what he describes as “avoidable hardship” imposed on candidates following the blacklisting of more than half of the approved Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres in Anambra State.

In a detailed statement on Thursday, Mr Obi narrated an encounter in Amawbia, Anambra State, where he observed a large crowd of students gathered outside the JAMB state office. Some were leaning on the gates; others sat precariously on the fence, clutching documents in the midday heat.

According to Mr Obi, the students were there to make changes to their course or institution choices—a routine service normally handled by accredited CBT centres. But most centres in the state, they told him, had stopped offering the service.

17 of 28 Centres Blacklisted

Mr Obi’s inquiries revealed that out of 28 JAMB-approved CBT centres in Anambra, 17 had been blacklisted. Many of the affected operators, he said, were never given specific reasons for their suspension, beyond the vague explanation: “under investigation.”

The result, he said, has been an administrative bottleneck with far-reaching consequences: students forced to travel long distances from rural communities to the state office, often making multiple fruitless trips before being attended to.

A service that should cost ₦1,500 at a CBT centre now costs up to ₦15,000 at the JAMB office, he said, sometimes padded with unofficial charges.

Academic Futures at Risk

The delays, Mr Obi warned, could jeopardise the academic future of many candidates. With several universities already conducting post-UTME screenings, students unable to process their transfers risk missing admission opportunities altogether.

“This is happening at a time of severe economic hardship, rising insecurity, and high youth unemployment,” Mr Obi said. “That students and their parents must suffer so needlessly is both unjust and avoidable.”

National Pattern of Complaints

While Mr Obi’s statement focused on Anambra, similar complaints have emerged in other states in recent years. In several parts of the country, candidates have reported overcrowded JAMB offices, inflated service fees, and delays in processing essential changes to their examination or admission records.

JAMB has in the past defended its blacklisting policy, saying it is aimed at curbing malpractice, data manipulation, and other irregularities in the examination process. However, critics argue that the agency often acts without transparency, leaving both operators and candidates in the dark.

Call for a Humane Approach

Mr Obi acknowledged that JAMB may have legitimate reasons for sanctioning centres but insisted that the agency should balance enforcement with compassion.

“Could a more humane and transparent approach not have been adopted? Is it not possible to allow these centres to continue offering essential services under close monitoring, pending the outcome of investigations?” he asked.

He stressed that education remains “the hope of our nation” and urged JAMB to prioritise the welfare of candidates in its decisions.

Bureaucracy and the Cost to the Poor

Education policy analysts say the episode highlights a recurring challenge in Nigeria’s bureaucratic system: policies intended to improve integrity often end up disproportionately punishing the most vulnerable.

“Once you centralise services and limit access points, the poorest students—those who can’t afford repeated trips—are the first to suffer,” said a higher education consultant who asked not to be named.

Mr Obi’s intervention adds political weight to growing calls for JAMB to review its operational protocols to ensure efficiency, fairness, and accessibility.

What Next?

As of press time, JAMB has not issued a public response to Mr Obi’s remarks. Whether the agency will reconsider its suspension policy remains uncertain, but the clock is ticking for thousands of candidates racing against university admission deadlines.

For many of them, the difference between securing a place in their preferred institution and losing an academic year may depend on how quickly the bureaucracy moves—and whether compassion finds a place in policy.